A guide to choosing the best antivirus solution for your business

Searching for the best antivirus or cybersecurity solution for your business? With so many options on the market, and so many factors to take into account, it can be difficult to know where to start. It’s undoubtedly an important decision to make — according to a study by Frost & Sullivan, the potential direct economic loss of cybersecurity incidents to Australian businesses is around AU$29 billion per year.

With the integrity of your company and customer data, intellectual property, financial records and more at stake, it’s worthwhile investing some time in assessing which antivirus product is right for you. To help you choose the best solution for your security needs, ESET has created a comprehensive guide for you to use throughout your selection process. Here are the 10 key questions you should be asking:

1. Will it provide all-inclusive protection?

It’s vital that the software you choose provides sufficient protection for your business. Just like a weak lock on your front door, weak antivirus products will leave your business vulnerable to cyberthreats.

A good solution is no longer just about antivirus — it should cover a range of threats, from firewall protection and web-based attacks, to ransomware, and more. It should include multi-layered security to protect you against both traditional and modern types of malware, across all computer domains, types of files, and all network elements that could be vulnerable to an attack — including email, the Internet, FTP and other channels.

2. Does it offer the most up-to-date defence?

It’s vital that you choose an antivirus solution that has the latest malware definitions and protocols. An outdated product is a weak one. Threats are constantly evolving, and your antivirus must do that too. A good antivirus is a product that regularly updates itself, several times a day and leverages cloud systems to improve responsiveness and ease the load constant updates can produce.

3. Can it work without creating conflicts?

An antivirus solution will be fairly useless if it conflicts with other software on your computer. For example, if you install antivirus on your computer, a reliable security solution should check if any similar programs are already on your system. If that’s the case, the solution should ask you to remove the conflicting software, in order to avoid a possible malfunction.

4. Will it protect itself against unwanted interference?

More sophisticated types of malware can take advantage of weak spots in an antivirus and even try to kill the antivirus solution in order to take control of your system. A strong security solution will protect its processes against this kind of unwanted interference.

5. How does it affect performance?

Antivirus programs typically require a fair amount of computing resource to run — but all good security providers will do their best to minimise their products’ impact on your computer’s performance.

Usually, a good antivirus product will have little to no impact on the running of your computer — using your computer’s resources in a way that won’t negatively affect your user experience. Your antivirus should be capable of quickly scanning your computer for malware threats without causing lag.

6. Does it run automated security scans?

Aside from running constant, real-time checks of newly created and accessed files, a good security solution will also allow you to schedule deeper antivirus scans. A great security product will schedule regular scans automatically. Better still, it will run these deep scans whenever your computer is idle.

7. Is it user-friendly?

Your antivirus product should be easy to use, by both experienced users and those with little knowledge of cybersecurity. That means it needs to have intuitive navigation, be easy to understand, and give you complete control. Of course, some users are more advanced in their technical knowledge than others — but regardless of your level of knowledge, it’s vital that a security product is easy to use for you and your employees.

8. Is it cost-effective?

When it comes to antivirus products, look for the most cost-effective solution that will still fit all your security needs and offer a robust protection for your business. While the right product might not be the least expensive option, it could cost you far more to purchase a cheaper but sub-standard solution that can’t protect your data.

9. Does it offer bundled services?

Look for antivirus solutions that offer bundled services and tools in addition to core security functions. This might include encrypted storage in the cloud, control tools, data wiping and more. These additional services can provide that little extra bit of protection, especially if your employees need to travel or use personal devices for work.

10. Does it come with guaranteed support?

Antivirus security is a complex thing — so being able to ask for help when you need to is important. That’s why your antivirus should come with a wide range of support options, from live chat sessions with security experts, to dedicated support services for businesses. In addition, these kind of support options should be complimentary.

Get the antivirus defence that’s right for you

Choosing the right antivirus solution for your business is an important decision that can save your business money, reputation and stability in the long-term. Keep these questions in mind when selecting your solution, and you’ll be on the right path to success. For expert guidance and advanced, intuitive antivirus products for businesses, consider antivirus and managed security services such as ESET Enterprise Solutions.

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